Raiders of the Lost Game (May 22, 2007)

Bandit LOAF

Bandit LOAF

Long Live the Confederation!
We've put together a new article collecting everything known about the lost Wing Commander game: WC2 SNES. WC2 SNES is a sad case, and I really think getting the word out could help find a missing review copy. The article includes a short history, both known magazine reviews and seven newly discovered screenshots! Check it all out here!
Although the game is complete somewhere, no prototype has ever surfaced and no members of the development team have copies. Because of the odd numbering of SNES ports (Wing Commander 2 is actually the third game, after Wing Commander and The Secret Missions), most mainstream SNES groups do not realize the title existed. These two magazine reviews and few scanned screenshots are all that remain of this promising Wing Commander game...
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Are you an SNES collector? Do you know someone who is? Pass this article along - let's get its status out there... and let's find Wing Commander 2 SNES!




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Original update published on May 22, 2007
 
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How did these magazines review the game? Did they all recieve a copy for them to review or did they pass around a copy. Also any clue what happened to the copy of the game when they were finished with it.

It may be helpful to find out their process on reviews to track down the game. I think game pro is still a published gamer mag (don't know about the other one) any hope that someone here has contacts with people at gamer pro magazine.
 
The first review says "Developed by Origin, Published by FCI". You could try to track down FCI.

The second review says it was reviewed by: "Toxic Tommy" from Gamepro. Maybe it's possible to track him down, and ask him about his copy?
 
http://www.zxdemo.org/item.php?id=3567
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http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-33047.html
SEGA GENESIS:

WING COMMANDER 2(By Origin/Was supposed to have an DSP-chip in the cart-probable for sprite-scaling)
 
A Genesis port was worked on around the same time (by many of the same people), but it was cancelled much earlier in development.
 
Snes collectors on it

Hi!

I was shocked when I saw this thing. Currently, the full SNES rom set doesn't include WC2, or it's mistaken for the secret missions.

I asked some of my friends in Tokyo who are dumping rom images to have a look at this. Hopefully, we will have some news soon.

Most of the unrealeased games were found at this date. Where the heck is this one?

Got some people from the Vintage Gaming Network on the case also. Keep spreading the word!
 
Yes! This is exactly what I was hoping for - thank you for your message. I'm sure SNES fans have a lot more resources for this sort of search than just Wing Commander fans ever did.

I see 'The Secret Missions' misidentified as 'Wing Commander 2' frequently. The SNES ports divide the PC Wing Commander and its mission disk (Wing Commander: The Secret Missions) into two separate stand-alone games. As a result, Secret Missions is often called 'Wing Commander 2: The Secret Missions' or just 'Wing Commander 2'. "Wing Commander 2: Vengeance of the Kilrathi" (the lost game) was developed two years later by a different team - lead by Billy Cain at Origin/EA Austin (the previous ports were farmed out to Mindscape).

Here's a message Billy Cain sent me about it some time ago, explaining some of the game's history. Perhaps this will help:

Sure, I can tell you all about it!

It was being worked on at Origin in '94 under the production group of Alan Gardner. We got most, if not all the artwork from the FM Townes version that was being worked on at the time. (Origin wasn't particularly good about backing up their source material at the time). It was being produced by FCI Pony Canyon.

I wasn't the producer - if anything I was the lead designer.

Alan Gardner was the producer.
Axel Brown was the lead programmer.
Julian Alden-Salter was working on a Sega version, but it didn't get as
finished as the SNES version.
Martin Galway did the music. He's at Digital Anvil now.
Billy Cain was the lead designer.
Chris Primozich was the lead tester.

It was a small team. I think I listed everyone. If I didn't, I'll be happy to correct it!

We had the game about 95% complete when I had to go work on EA Sports Rugby World Cup '95, which is why I believe I have the year right! :)

I did all the level scripting in text files, and even did editing while I was overseas. It was completed and delivered to FCI, but I don't really know what happened after that.

No copies of the game exist to my knowledge, as the cart was taking 4 chips and we didn't have a lot of extras around at the time. My belief as to what happened was that Pony Canyon didn't have the cash to put it out, due to the fact that you have to pay for the carts up front. It was a risky time for them and really, the end of the SNES. The 3DO was coming out and after that, the Playstation.

If there's anything else you'd like to know, I'm always happy to help!

Thanks for the interest!
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What RomCollector said: I just went through 1.6 GB of SNES ROM files, and found no mention of WC2, unfinished, beta or otherwise. I will try to get people I know to look through PAL collections they may have, but if this was developed in house by Origin, it's probably NTSC only, at least at this stage.

Danaus said:
The first review says "Developed by Origin, Published by FCI". You could try to track down FCI.

The second review says it was reviewed by: "Toxic Tommy" from Gamepro. Maybe it's possible to track him down, and ask him about his copy?
Click to expand...

I am working on tracking down "Toxic Tommy" right now, actually.

NuAngel
 
Well, I've been able to get in touch with a sound designer for the SNES version of WC2 - while he doesn't still have a copy or any of the code, he has put me in touch with one of the programmers. We'll see if he still has anything. I hope I Was clear enough that I was looking for WC2, not just "Secret Missions."

NuAngel
 
Yup. I lke keeping tabs on Barry's work. He can do so much with so little! When this came up, I thought it might be a good way to go.

Nu
 
Funny, i actually have Super Wing Commander for 3Do, but do not have a system to play it! i have been looking on Ebay but the systems are still expensive
 
Bigt028 said:
Funny, i actually have Super Wing Commander for 3Do, but do not have a system to play it! i have been looking on Ebay but the systems are still expensive
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I think we've probably bottomed out on the expense curve for the 3DO. At this point they will probably just get more expensive as working models become more scarce and the people who own them dwindle down to the people who want to permanently own one.
 
SNES Wing Commander 2 Reviewer Copy?

Hey guys, I was looking for Wing Commander awards online and my curiosity got the best of me so I started looking around.

I am PRETTY DAMN sure that we did not ever give a copy of the game out to ANYONE, especially a reviewer. Someone may have done it after I went to EAUK for Rugby, but I hope that they would have told me.

The SNES team was essentially the "outcast" group at Origin. Console titles at a PC developer? Really? Anyway, when we were working on Ultima: Black Gate, we were located in a separate building in the Wild Basin office. We called our building Siberia. Then we moved to the 183 office and got our own area. 183's where started work on WC2. Our area was still tucked away from the rest of the PC teams, but now we didn't have to cross a parking lot to get to everyone! :) And if you're reading this - you other Siberians - I loved working there with you guys, but that place was WAY away from the action - let's be honest. Except maybe for the "Watering Hole" newsgroups we used to argue on constantly. WOW - that's a blast from the past.

I hope you CIC devotees are having a blast with WC:p. It looks like there is some cool stuff going on. Does anyone have a 3DFX build or something that simulates it? I miss it. :(
 
thenuthouse said:
I hope you CIC devotees are having a blast with WC:p. It looks like there is some cool stuff going on. Does anyone have a 3DFX build or something that simulates it? I miss it. :(
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You can download a "glide wrapper" which emulates having a 3DFX card in your PC. That's pretty much the way to go to get the appropriate looks. It's compatible with HCls high res patch too, though sometimes there are issues with the non critical HUD components resizing incorrectly.
 
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